A Trip Through Time
by dazdnconfusd730
Summary: An overturned school bus leaves Carter hurt and trapped with thirty kids...
1. Default Chapter

I wanted to reload this considering my next story has a few references to it.  
  
This should be interesting. I apologize ahead for any inconsistencies. A few things to keep in mind. I've never been on an overturned school bus so if there are some things that don't appear right...oops. Also I know nothing about medical "stuff." I tried to steer clear of that but this being a show about doctors made it incredibly difficult to do...  
  
Disclaimer: I love all the ER characters but unfortunately I don't own any of the characters in my story except for Leah and the kids who came from the black hole that is my mind...  
  
  
  
He stared out the window, watching the snowflakes dance on the wind before settling to a stop on top of the black road turning it to a shimmery white.  
  
The bus hit a bump jolting him back into reality. He looked around. He hadn't been on a school bus in a long time. He silently wished he wasn't here now.   
  
Carter liked kids, he really did. What he didn't like was being in a confined space with thirty eight-year-olds. No, he decided. That's not what bothered him. What bothered him was being in a confined space with thirty eight year olds, when twenty boys were on their third rendition of "99 Bottles of Slime on the Wall," and ten girls sat pointing and giggling at him.   
  
'Well nine girls;' he thought, looking at the girl sitting next to him. She wasn't even talking let alone giggling. He watched as she glanced at him then quickly averted her eyes in an effort not to be seen.  
  
Carter wondered what she was thinking. He had sat next to her teacher, Ms. Kaithern, on the ride up, but the boy she had been sitting next to had been particularly bad. So now the teacher was sitting next to the boy to keep an eye on him and Carter was next to the girl.  
  
"What's your name?" Carter asked trying to start a conversation.  
  
She stared at him, her large brown eyes opened wide at the surprise of being addressed. "Emily," she finally said.  
  
"That's a pretty name. So, what did you think of the hospital?"  
  
"It was great! I want to be a doctor when I grow up." She paused and studied him. "What kind of doctor are you?"  
  
"I work in the Emergency Room."  
  
Emily thought for a moment. "We didn't go to the Emergency Room. How come?"  
  
Now it was Carter's turn to think. In reality they didn't visit the ER because God only knew what kind of patients would be coming in. People with limbs cut off or gunshot wounds. Not good sights for eight year olds. Out loud he said, "We didn't have time."  
  
"Oh."  
  
And that was the end of there conversation. He watched her for a moment then returned to staring out of the window.  
  
The road was long and empty except for the accumulating snow. Carter remembered this road from the ride up. They passed a car maybe every twenty miles. It was basically deserted.  
  
They were still a good hour away from St. Patrick's Grammar School.   
  
He would have to remember to thank Kerry for sending him on this trip. She had needed someone to go to the school and answer the kid's questions, then accompany them to County and give them a tour of the hospital. Carter had been in the wrong line of sight at the wrong time.  
  
It wasn't that he didn't like kids. He did. But the boys had moved on from "99 Bottles of Slime on the Wall" to "Great Big Globs of Greasy, Grimy, Gopher Guts."   
  
"You should wear your seatbelt." Emily told him.  
  
"Seatbelt?" He looked at her waist and was surprised to see her strapped in by a seatbelt. "I didn't even know school busses had seatbelts. They didn't when I was a kid."  
  
Emily shrugged her shoulders.  
  
Carter decided he didn't want to set a bad example. He was reaching for the belt when he felt a jolt. The bus began to spin sending him flying into the window.  
  
He heard the kids scream as the bus did two more 360 turns across the road.  
  
Carter held onto the seat in front of him as the bus skidded. He felt it lean to the side to the point where he knew the bus was only on two wheels.  
  
He felt a thud as the bus landed violently on the side he was on, sending him once again into the window. Carter watched in horror as the children from the other side of the bus who weren't wearing their seatbelts fell. The rest of the children hung above him, screaming and crying.  
  
He felt the bus shit as it rolled onto its roof. Carter slid as the bus rolled and he landed on the roof. The bus kept turning, sending Carter to the other side of it. He landed on a window and felt a shard of glass plunge into his leg.  
  
Then everything was still. He lay for a moment face down on the broken window. He heard screams and sobs. He pushed himself up and looked around. He saw the teacher; she looked like she was unconscious. Carter gazed down at the bus driver.  
  
"Driver are you ok?"  
  
"My legs are pinned."  
  
Shit. He was on his own. 'Think Carter, think." He looked up and saw about ten kids, Emily among them, hanging from their seats. They were all crying.  
  
"Kids? Just hang on. I'll get you down."  
  
Carter examined his leg. He felt a searing pain as he pulled the glass out. Carter felt a pang of panic as thought how it felt like it had when he was stabbed. He composed himself and using some of his shirt he wrapped the wound.  
He stood up wincing at the pain that shot through his leg.   
  
He called out. "If you are on the floor and can stand walk, stand up please." He saw about seventeen kids slowly rise. "Ok, can you check the other kids? If any of them aren't awake or bleeding, call me over."  
  
Carter went to check on the teacher. Nothing appeared to be wrong aside from the fact she was out cold. She probably had a concussion.  
  
Carter looked up at the girl hanging above him. "Ok, I'll catch you but you're going to have to help me out here."  
  
She sniffled and nodded.  
  
"Ok. Put you arm around my neck, that's right. Now when I count to three unbuckle the belt, I'll catch you. Ready? One, two, three."  
  
Carter didn't know how but it worked even though pain shot through his leg as he caught her. He set her down. "Go help the others ok?"   
  
She nodded.  
He repeated the same procedure for the rest of the kids. After he got them all down he went to check on the teacher again. "Ms. Kaithern?" She was still out.  
  
"Is everyone awake?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Is anyone bleeding?"   
  
"No."  
  
He couldn't believe that no one was seriously hurt. 'Well except for me,' he thought looking at his leg. "Kids I'm going to check on the bus driver, stay where you are."   
  
He limped to the bus driver, the glass of the windows breaking under his feet. "Are you ok? Can you feel your legs?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
The driver was pinned by the dashboard. Carter leaned over and examined it. "I won't be able to get you out by myself. Does the radio work?"  
  
"No, I've been trying it." He sighed. "I must have hit an ice patch. Are the kids ok?"  
  
"Most of them are, I haven't got a chance to look them all over."  
  
"Go, check them. Dr. Carter, the heat isn't working and it'll be dark in a few hours. It's going to get cold."  
  
Carter nodded then went back towards the kids. He prayed someone would find him soon.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kerry sighed. She was nearing the end of a twelve-hour shift and she was eager to go home, get a shower and get a good nights sleep.  
  
"Kerry, where's Carter?" Mark asked.  
  
"He isn't back yet?" She looked at her watch. "It takes an hour and a half to get there so it's a three hour round trip. What time did he leave?"  
  
"Around 1:30."  
  
"It's 5:00 now. He should have been back by 4:30."  
  
"Maybe he hooked up with that hot teacher." Malucci chimed in.  
  
Kerry and Mark looked at him. "How do you know that the teacher was hot? They weren't even in the ER." Mark asked him.  
  
"I saw Carter bringing them in."  
  
"Kerry a rather large trauma is coming in. Minivan vs. Motorcycle. We need Carter." Mark told her.  
  
She sighed. "Randi, page Carter. Find out where he is. I'll stay until he comes." 'So much for my quiet evening at home,' she thought.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Carter sighed. He had finished checking all of the kids. Two broken legs, a broken arm, and the teacher with a concussion, were the worst. Of course that wasn't including the bus driver, still pinned by the bus and himself. His leg hadn't stopped bleeding yet.  
  
Both doors of the bus were crushed in so they couldn't get out, but even if they could, where would they go?   
  
A low beeping interrupted his thoughts. He realized what it was and pulled out his pager. He looked at it and saw that Kerry was paging him. 'That's great Kerry. Now if only I hadn't left my cell phone in my car.' He shut it off knowing it did him no good.  
  
It was getting dark. Carter couldn't believe that no one had come down the road in almost four hours.  
  
The kids sat huddled together with Ms. Kaithern. Carter sat alone between the sideways seats.  
  
He was so lost in his thought's he didn't notice Emily until she sat next to him.  
  
She looked at him for awhile not saying anything. Then she said, "I still want to be a doctor."  
  
He looked at her and smiled. "I'm glad."  
  
That was it. A simple conversation but Carter felt a bond with this girl.  
  
"Dr. Carter, I'm scared."  
  
"Don't be," he said putting his arm around her. "I won't let anything happen to you."   
  
She laid her head against his chest. "I know."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kerry was exhausted. She checked her watch. 8:00. 'Oh Carter, you are going to be cleaning out bedpans..."  
  
"Dr. Weaver?" Randi said. "St. Patrick's Grammar School is on line one. Something about a missing bus."  
  
Suddenly Kerry got worried. "I'll take it Randi." When she hung up she was sick to her stomach.  
  
"What's wrong Kerry? Mad at Carter for taking the rest of the afternoon off without telling anyone?" Mark teased.  
  
"Mark, the bus hasn't gotten back yet."  
  
Mark furrowed his eyebrows.  
  
"What bus?" Benton asked, looking at a chart.  
  
"The bus Carter and about thirty kids were on," Kerry answered. "It left at 1:30. It's an hour and a half trip there. It's now 8:00 and no one has seen or heard from it since."  
  
Benton's head shot up. "Carter and a bunch of kids are missing?"  
  
Kerry studied Benton. She didn't know what Carter and Benton's relationship was. Benton was always hard on Carter, but when Carter had been stabbed he was almost hysterical. Then when they had found out Carter was addicted to painkillers, Benton actually got on the plane and went with him to the rehab center.  
  
Now she saw, for a brief moment, panic flash in his eyes. "I'm sure the bus just broke down," she said.  
  
"Don't buses have radios? Wouldn't they have called it in?" Mark asked.  
  
"The radio could be broken. We shouldn't assume the worst. The school said they were sending police out to search the bus route." Kerry informed them. "I'm sure they're all fine."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Carter looked at his watch. 8:00 and still no one.  
  
Ms. Kaithern came over and sat across from him, being careful of the glass shards.  
  
She was young with blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. "You're very good with kids Dr. Carter," she said casting a bemused look at Emily, who had fallen asleep in his arms.  
  
He smiled. "Call me John."  
  
"Well in that case call me Leah."  
  
"How's your head?"  
  
"I have the headache of the century."  
  
"Are the kids cold?"  
  
"Well, they have winter jackets and they are all huddled together so I think they're ok. Do you think someone's looking for us?" she asked.  
  
"Actually that's been bothering me. I'm sure they would have started looking for us by now. Unless..." He carefully slid his arm off of Emily. He laid her on his jacket. "I'll be right back," he told Leah.  
  
She watched as he made his way to the front of the bus.  
  
Carter leaned over the seat in order to talk to the driver. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Cold, but not too bad."  
  
"Jerry," Carter said, using the name the driver had given him earlier. "Are we on the normal route you drive from the school to the hospital?"  
  
"No, there's construction on the regular route so I went this way."  
  
Carter felt his stomach drop. "Do they know you took a different route?"  
  
"No," Jerry sighed.  
  
Carter patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, someone will find us."  
  
He limped back to Leah and Emily. As he passed the kids he noticed most of them were asleep. Carter explained the situation to Leah.  
  
"So we could be here awhile," she said.  
  
"I'm sure someone will come soon."  
  
"Hey, you're bleeding," said noticing his leg.  
  
"Yeah, a piece of glass..." He was worried. He'd lost a lot of blood. Carter was sure the glass had nicked an artery. But he didn't want to worry her. "It's nothing."  
  
Emily shifted on the floor and once more took the position of leaning on Carter's chest.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kerry lay on the couch in the doctor's lounge trying to fall asleep.  
  
Mark walked in. "Kerry the school called."  
  
She shot up to a sitting position. "And?"  
  
"And the bus was nowhere to be found on its regular route. That route was full of construction so now the police are trying alternate routes."  
  
"It's 10:00. I hope they're all right. How's Benton?" she asked, changing the subject. Benton had refused to leave until he found out if Carter was ok.  
  
"He's storming about in a very bad temper."  
  
Kerry sighed. "I hope they find them soon."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Carter was beginning to panic. He'd lost a lot of blood. So much in fact, he knew he wouldn't make it threw the night if he didn't get some soon.  
  
Leah had gone back over with the kids and as far as he could tell everyone was asleep.  
  
Carter checked his watch in the moonlight that streamed through the windows above him. 10:00. Suddenly the bus was illuminated with more than just moonlight. In fact it was flashing red and blue light.  
  
"Leah!" he called.  
  
He heard her waking the kids.  
  
Carter looked down at Emily. "Emily? Come on wake up. They found us."  
  
She looked up at him groggy eyed.  
  
Carter looked up when he heard rescue workers climbing around above him. He shielded his eyes when a flashlight was shone in his face.  
  
"Everyone ok down there?" a rescue worker called.  
  
"For the most part. Two broken legs and a broken arm, are the extents of the children's injuries. The teacher has a concussion, and the bus driver is pinned but he can feel his legs."  
  
He stood up leaning his weight on his good leg.  
  
"What about you?" the man said casting the light on his bloody leg.  
  
"Let's get the kids out first then worry about me."  
  
Carter and Leah lifted the kids up to the rescue workers and soon they were the only two left, save the bus driver.  
  
The rescue workers threw down a rope with a loop on the end. Carter handed it to Leah. She slipped it around her and he watched as she disappeared through the window.  
  
A wave of dizziness hit him and he suddenly couldn't bear the pain in his leg. He collapsed. Carter could barley hear the rescue worker calling him, asking if he was all right. He knew he had lost too much blood. 'I'm going to die.'   



	2. Chapter 2

Ok I got this done pretty quick. All I had to do was type it. I hope it lives up to what you all expected. Once again, I apologize ahead for any inconsistencies. A few things to keep in mind. I've never been on an overturned school bus so if there are some things that don't appear right...oops. Also I know nothing about medical "stuff." I tried to steer clear of that but this being a show about doctors made it incredibly difficult to do...  
  
Disclaimer: I love all the ER characters but unfortunately I don't own any of the characters in my story except for the kids and Leah, who came from the black hole that is my mind...  
  
  
  
  
Kerry had given up trying to sleep. She sat at the desk waiting for news. 'I'm sure it just broke down,' she kept telling herself. But as she would say that she kept picturing a bus crashed into a tree, and Carter hurt, in need of medical attention. Carter blaming her for sending him. Carter...  
  
"Dr. Weaver? Trauma coming in."  
  
She looked at Randi wearily. "What is it?"  
  
Randi looked at her shoes. "An overturned school bus."  
  
Kerry's head snapped up. "Is it..."  
  
"They didn't say. There's one major and four minor. ETA five minutes."  
  
"Go find Dr. Greene and tell him."  
  
"What about Dr. Benton?"  
  
Kerry was about to tell her not to tell him when his voice came from behind her.   
  
"What about Dr. Benton?"  
  
"Go Randi," Kerry told her. She turned to Benton. "Peter, there's a trauma coming in."  
  
He stared at her expectantly.   
  
"An overturned school bus."  
  
His eyes widened.  
  
"There's no reason to assume that it's the one Carter is on," she said trying to be the voice of reason. "One major and four minors. ETA five minutes."  
  
Benton stared at her then turned and walked quickly out the door to wait for the ambulances.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Carter woke in the ambulance. He had an oxygen mask on. He reached up and moved it. "What hospital," he managed.  
  
The EMT looked at him. "County is the closest. Stay with me sir. What's your name?"  
  
Carter looked at him, he was so tired. He drifted back into unconsciousness despite the EMT's pleas.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kerry joined Benton outside as he paced the sidewalk. "I didn't know you cared so much about him."   
  
He stopped pacing and looked at her. He sighed. "Neither did I. But he's Carter you know?" He paused. "When I heard that he had been stabbed... It was like my whole world had just crumbled in around me. I couldn't lose him. Suddenly he was more than just my student, he was my friend."  
  
Kerry smiled.  
  
Just then two ambulances rolled up. Benton went to one, Kerry to the other. Mark and Malucci came out behind them.   
  
One ambulance had two kids in it. The other a kid and a women. Benton let Malucci handle his and Kerry asked Mar to handle hers.  
  
"Where's the major?" Kerry heard Benton ask an EMT.  
  
"About two minutes behind us. They had to recessitate him at the site. He had a bad leg wound. Piece of glass sliced an artery. He's been losing blood since this afternoon. I don't think he's going to make it."  
  
"Do you know his name?" Kerry asked, her stomach dropping.  
  
"No, we helped get him out of the bus then took the kids. Sorry." She walked into the hospital.  
  
Kerry looked at Benton. He looked like he was going to be sick. "Peter, there's no reason to think it's Carter. It might not even be the same bus."  
  
Mark came and stood beside Kerry. "Do we know anything yet?"  
  
She glanced at Benton who was standing completely still staring up the road. Kerry told Mark what the EMT had said.  
  
The familiar sound of sirens caused them to look up. Kerry was used to sirens but these seemed very loud and bright compared to the ones she usually saw. Kerry watched with anticipation as the ambulance pulled up. She closed her eyes took a deep breath and rushed forward with Benton.  
  
They opened the door and the EMTs rushed out unfolding the gurney. One was about to give the rundown when Benton yelled. "God Damnit Carter!"  
  
Kerry fought back tears as they quickly walked the gurney into the hospital.  
  
Mark took control. "Get him into Trauma 1 now!"  
  
Kerry heard gasps as the hospital staff saw who was on the gurney.  
  
Benton stayed by his side. "Carter? Carter can you hear me? Come on Carter!"  
  
That voice. Carter recognized that voice. He slowly opened his eyes.  
  
"One, two, three," Mark said as they moved him onto the table.  
  
Carter could hear medical terms being yelled in all directions, but they were all blurred. The only voice he heard clearly was Benton's.  
  
"Carter can you hear me?" Benton asked.  
  
Carter nodded. Benton sounded worried. He could feel Kerry and Mark working on his leg. A sharp pain shot through his leg. He cried out in pain and grabbed Benton's hand. Carter moved the oxygen mask. "Tell... Emily... that I would... be proud... if she... became a doctor," he managed.  
  
Kerry watched as Benton held Carter's hand. Carter looked at him his eyes pleading and full of panic and fear.  
  
Then his eyes closed.  
"He's crashing!" she yelled as the machines stared beeping.   
  
"He's lost to much blood!" Mark said.  
  
Kerry got out the paddles. "Clear!" Nothing. She had the nurse raise the setting. "Clear!" She breathed a sigh of relief when the machines beeped a steady rhythm.   
  
Benton went back to holding Carter's hand. "Carter? Come on man. Wake up."  
  
"Benton!" Mark called. "Help us with this artery!"  
  
Benton let go of Carter's hand and went to work on his leg.  
  
Carter opened his eyes again. He saw Mark, Kerry, and Benton working on his leg. He thought how easy it would be to die. Then he heard it again. Benton's voice calling to him.  
  
Carter made up his mind. He couldn't die. Not now. And it wasn't because he was afraid to. He couldn't die because Benton was working on him. He knew Benton too well. If he died, Benton would blame himself. It wouldn't have been his fault but he would anyway. He didn't want to do that to Benton. He was going to fight.  
  
"Let's get him up to the OR now!" Benton called.  
  
They rolled Carter through the door where Mulucci, Chen, and Luka stood watching.  
  
Benton got in the elevator, while Mark and Kerry watched. The doors closed.  
  
Carter moved the mask from him mouth. "Benton I'll be fine," he whispered.  
  
Benton looked down at him his face a mixture of emotions. "That's supposed to be my line."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kerry sat down in a chair outside of Trauma 1. It took all the will power she had not to burst into tears.  
  
"Kerry it's not your fault," Mark said, sitting down next to her.   
  
"I put him on that bus Mark. He's been through so much already." She buried her head in her hands.  
  
"Carter's strong. He'll be ok."  
  
"Can you believe I was actually mad at him? I was angry at him because I didn't get to go home and he was sitting in that bus bleeding to death."  
  
"I think we got him in time."  
  
"Did you see the look in his eyes? He was looking at Benton. His eyes were full of fear and panic.?  
  
Before Mark could answer he was interrupted by a little girl with large brown eyes. "Excuse me."  
  
They both looked up. "I was looking for Dr. Carter. I wanted to make sure he was ok."  
  
Kerry looked at Mark. She couldn't handle this right now.  
  
Mark stood up and put his arm around her. "What's your name?" He asked leading her away.  
  
"Emily."  
  
Kerry's head jerked up. Carter had said something about Emily while he was in the trauma room.   
  
"Emily?" she called.  
  
Mark and Emily turned around. "Were you on the bus with Dr. Carter?"  
  
Emily nodded.  
  
"Come here Emily, let's talk."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Carter woke up in a hospital room. His leg really hurt.   
  
He looked around the dark room and saw a figure slumped in the chair by his bed. He realized it was Kerry. She was asleep.  
  
He turned his head and was surprised to see Benton sleeping in the other chair. "Wow I sure am popular." He muttered.  
  
A sudden thought occurred to him and he felt his heart fly into his throat. "Benton?" he said out loud. "Benton?"  
  
Benton woke with a start. Before he could say anything Carter spoke.   
  
"You didn't give me any painkillers right?" His voice was tense.  
  
"No, just aspirin."  
  
Carter breathed a sigh of relief and ran his hand through his hair.  
  
"You gave me a scare Carter."  
  
"You saved my life you know."  
  
"No I just did my job."  
  
"No, I was going to give up. But you kept calling me, You wouldn't leave me in peace," He laughed lightly. "Just like when I was your student. I couldn't die because you didn't want me to."  
  
Benton sat, in silence, unsure of what to say.  
  
They heard Kerry stir. She pretended to just wake up. She felt bad about overhearing their conversation but she awoke in the middle of it.  
  
"Hey Kerry," Carter said.   
  
Benton stood up. "I need to go home for a bit before I have to come back for my shift. I'll come see you later." He walked out leaving Kerry alone with Carter.  
  
Kerry stared at her hands. "I'm sorry John."  
  
Carter was confused for a minute then it dawned on him. "You're not feeling guilty about this are you?"   
  
She didn't say anything.   
  
"Kerry it wasn't you're fault."  
  
"I keep thinking what if I had gone."  
  
"If you keep thinking what if you'll drive yourself crazy. I don't blame you. What I do blame you for is sticking my on a bus where the boys kept singing "99 Bottles of Slime on the Wall" over and over and over."  
  
She smiled. "Speaking of kids, Emily came by to see you earlier."  
  
His head perked up. "Really?"  
  
"I told her what had happened and she wrote you note. She said she might come visit you soon.?"   
  
Kerry handed him the note then left.   
  
Carter unfolded it and read:  
  
  
Dear Dr. Carter,  
You didn't have to lie to me before. I know the real reason we didn't go to the ER.   
But it's ok. I forgive you. If I had any doubt before, I'm definitely gong to be a doctor  
now. Maybe even an ER doctor. Thank you for taking care of us. I know you'll be ok   
because the doctor that was talking to me seems like she knows what she's doing. And   
She cares about you a lot, I can see it in her eyes. Get better soon.   
Love,  
Emily  



End file.
